Rumors, latest updates, news and analysis for every major deal

12:30 PM ET

The 2022 MLB trade deadline is coming fast, with teams weighing their biggest needs before 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 2 arrives.

Will the Washington Nationals make a blockbuster Juan Soto trade? Could Shohei Ohtani be on the move from the Los Angeles Angels? Could Luis Castillo and Willson Contreras be dealt to contenders? And which of the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros will go all-in to boost their 2022 World Series hopes?

Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.

MLB trade deadline buzz

July 26 updates

The latest on Soto: As of Tuesday morning: One rival executive believes the Nationals are still relatively early in the process of sorting through asks and offers for Juan Soto. A lot of the foundation for potential deals still needs to be constructed. — Buster Olney

Why you should keep an eye on Tampa Bay at the deadline: The Rays have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and while they have suffered devastating injuries in recent days — losing center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and catcher Mike Zunino for the season — sources say they are poking around looking for upgrades, veterans who could help push the core of young players across the finish line to a wild-card berth. The Rays expect to get Wander Franco and Manuel Margot back in the weeks ahead, but they’ll be seeking other position player help, and they have the ability to take on payroll before the trade deadline.

The Rays are among the teams to have inquired about Juan Soto, and the fact that the financial obligations are limited — he’s arbitration-eligible and not tied to a long-term deal — means they could take a shot at him, in the way they bid $150 million on Freddie Freeman in free agency. But for the Rays, a team of limited resources, surrendering a massive haul of prospects for a player even as great as Soto represents enormous risk, and for that reason, they are likely to be outbid for the slugger. — Buster Olney

What is Cleveland’s deadline strategy? The Cleveland Guardians have two players who could be headed to free agency in the fall — catcher Austin Hedges and reliever Bryan Shaw — and with some contenders looking for catching depth, the Guardians could theoretically listen to offers. But with the promotion of 23-year-old catching prospect Bo Naylor from Triple-A to the big leagues seemingly inevitable, the Guardians will need Hedges to help instruct Naylor. Cleveland is currently in the scrum of four teams trying to push into the group of wild-card leaders, and at the moment, the Guardians are 3½ games behind the Twins — so they’ll look for possible upgrades before the deadline, but probably nothing too expensive. — Buster Olney

Why a Soto deal is no sure thing: While a Juan Soto trade has the potential to rock this deadline as one of the biggest blockbusters in recent history, it also is one of the most difficult scenarios a team has faced at the deadline. Jeff Passan explains in his one week from the trade deadline preview (ESPN+)

July 25 updates

Are the Padres a Soto trade fit? One team keeps coming up among rival scouts and executives when pondering potential fits for Juan Soto: the Padres. They have an immediate hole in their outfield, a desperate need for more offense, a clearly stated desire to contend immediately and, just as important, the type of audacious GM who can pull this type of move off. The starting point in a Soto deal would probably involve C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore.

But two potential issues linger for AJ Preller: 1. Does he have the organizational depth to add additional pieces and beat a deep pool of interested teams, especially after parting with so much of it in an effort to bolster the rotation? 2. What about the money component, both with the Padres’ reported desire to shed payroll to stay below the luxury-tax threshold and with the Nats’ potential desire to attach a bloated contract like that of Patrick Corbin‘s? — Alden Gonzalez

Will Cardinals prioritize an ace over a trade for Soto? While the Cardinals might be mentioned as a suitor for Juan Soto, they’re focused on pitching heading into the deadline. For the second consecutive year, St. Louis looks to add a starter or two. Would the Reds trade Luis Castillo within the division? If so, St. Louis could be a strong fit. — Jesse Rogers

Do the Dodgers have a big splash in them — Soto or otherwise? In 2017, it was Yu Darvish. In 2018, it was Manny Machado. In 2021, it was Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Does Andrew Friedman have another big move in him? The Dodgers have been identified as an early suitor for Juan Soto, for obvious reasons — they have the prospect capital and the financial might to not only acquire Soto but perhaps even lock him in with a record-setting extension. That can’t be ruled out, but in all likelihood, Friedman, uncomfortable with the amount of young talent he has parted with in recent years, makes an assortment of lower-tier moves for his pitching staff. The Dodgers have a lot of questions in both their rotation and their bullpen, but also a lot of impact players making their way back (most notably Dustin May, Walker Buehler and Blake Treinen). Look for them to prioritize depth. They’ve shown, for a while now, that they’re elite at preventing runs even without top-shelf pitching. — Alden Gonzalez

Possible suitors for Cubs All-Star catcher: The Cubs’ Willson Contreras remains on track to be moved by the Aug. 2 deadline. To this point, the Cubs have not approached him with an offer for a contract extension. Possible suitors for the All-Star starter include the Rays, Guardians and Mets. — Jesse Rogers

Will the Angels actually trade Ohtani or make moves to build around him? The big question surrounding the Angels over the next week or so: Will they truly entertain trade offers for Shohei Ohtani, a free agent after the 2023 season, or merely make moves on the margins in an effort (perhaps a final one) to contend next season? If it’s the latter approach, look for Angels GM Perry Minasian to be aggressive in pursuit of major league players who are controllable at least through next year; the Angels have a lot of holes on their 40-man roster, and patching them all in one offseason is not realistic. Barring a midseason extension, Noah Syndergaard — solid, albeit not dominant, on a one-year deal coming off a long hiatus `– will probably be their most likely trade candidate, regardless of their approach. — Alden Gonzalez

Why the White Sox are focused on bullpen help: Setup man Kendall Graveman is on pace to blow by his career high in appearances, while Joe Kelly has been inconsistent for the White Sox this season and Aaron Bummer has been injured. Given the overall lack of bullpen options as it tries to climb in the AL Central standings, Chicago is looking for deadline help from either side of the mound. — Jesse Rogers